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Jan 27, 2012

Re-post: Necromandus - Orexis Of Death Plus... (2005, recorded in 1973)

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This dark masterpiece was produced by Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi, who also guests on the album. Recorded at London’s Morgan Studios in 1973 these sombre downer-rock merchants put together a truly unique album that more than befitted their twilight image. Lead guitarist Barry Dunnery’s fretboard dexterity is both striking and original and his intelligently arranged chord sequences are often briskly intersected by tense, jagged time changes. The album is topped off with the mournful and twisted vocals of the late Bill Branch, a singer whose inherent anguish and torment is expressed despairingly throughout, creating an atmosphere of desolation and dismay.

2 comments:

It was recorded in 1972-73 under the supervision of Tony Iommi but was shelved due to Barry Dunnery's departure, from the band and wasn't released until 1999. Don't be fooled by the album cover and the title. If your expecting a slab heavy, doom laden, riff tearing Sabbath-esque assualt or akin to that of Pentagram or Supernaut you're not going to find it here. Orexis Of Death, originially recorded in 1972-73 is more in line of hard progressive rock/heavy prog though it does exude a medievil gloom/doom ambience at times, it is closer to the sound and style of early Wishbone Ash (Wishbone Ash, Pilgrimage and Argus) and Jade Warrior's first three albums and obvious influences from King Crimson and Gentle Giant with a brush of Black Widow. The band was managed by Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi and with him producing the band laid down the tracks but in 1973 Sabbath was huge and very busy thus Iommi kept putting off the final steps to get the record of the shelf and then guitarist Brian Dunnery decided to leave the band and Iommi.This was excellent hard progressive rock and very well produced. I asked myself. I think this album would of done well if released in 1973 with having the name of Tony Iommi associated on it and with the support of the Vertigo label. Anyway, it doesn't really matter. It's terrific.